Automobile identification-tag



j. W. WILLIAMS. AUTOMOBILE IDENTIFICATION TAG.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 15, I919.

1,340,998, aiented May 25, 192%.,

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

III IIII! III I III 9 Gaol/M0119 J. W. WILLIAMS.

AUIOMOBILE IDENTIFICATION TAG.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1919.

1,340,998, Patented May 25, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JAMES W. WILLIAMS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

AUTOMOBILE IDENTIFICATION-TAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed January 15, 1919. Serial No. 271,251.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES W. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Identification-Tags; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta'ins to make and use the same.

My invention has for its principal ob ect to provide for a great saving in the metal now used yearly for automobile identification tags, by providing a main plate displaying a number or other identification means, usable from year to year, forming said plate with an opening, providing a plurality of inserts, any one of which is receivable in saidopening, each insert displaying data relating to a .difierent period of time during which the tag may be used, and employing a seal to prevent unauthorized removal of one insert and the substitution of another.

In carrying out the above end, a furtherobject is to provide for the mounting of the several inserts upon a common pivot, so that [they may at all times be accessible for changing, for instance at the end of each ear.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

. Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of the invention in which the several inserts are mounted on a common pivot.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the inserts and their carrying means.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a diflerent form of the device.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section on the plane of the line 6+6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the insert shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a still further form of the device.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings I have shown three forms of my invention and since a. better understanding may behad by describing first one form and then another, this will be carried out. In the form of the device disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4, the numeral 1 designates a plate formed of metal or other suitable material and displaying a number or other identification data as indicated at 2. The plate 1 also discloses the territory in which the tag is usable, as indicated by the numeral 3, and displays a letter such as that shown at 4, to disclose whether the tag is intended for a commercial or pleasure vehicle. In the present showing, I have illustrated a tag intended for use in the State of Washington andbearing the letter A, which is used on the identification tags of the aforesaid State to indicate that the tag is for use on a pleasure automobile rather than a truck, the letter T being used on the identification tags of all commercial machines.

At any suitable location, the plate 1 is provided with a preferably segmental open ing 5 and any one of a plurality of inserts 6 is receivablev in said opening, said inserts being shown as formed by radially splitting a metal disk 7 and at the same time forming resilient spokes 8 carrying sai'd segments on their outer ends. The formation of the spokes and inserts .is preferably accomplished by a single set of dies and at the same operation, the inserts are stamped so that they will be snugly received in the opening 5 and will be provided with projecting flanges 9 having slots 10. Ten inserts are preferably formed on the disk 7 and said inserts display characters running from zero to nine (0 to 9), these characters being adapted to form the last numeral of the year in which the tag may be used without the payment of additional taxes or license fees, the other numerals being displayed by the plate 1 as indicated at 11. By means of a rivet or the like 12, the disk 7 is centrally pivoted to the reverse side of the plate 1, and the resiliency of the spokes 8 will serve to force the proper insert 6 into the opening when said disk is turned to the required extent. -Normally, the spokes 8 of the inserts which are not in use, stand under tension as seen at the left of Fig. 2, but the disk as manufactured is of the cross sectional shape disclosed in Fig. 4.

The plate 1 is provided with a slot 13 with which one of the slots' 'alines after each change of the fiscal date of the tag and it is intended that a proper authority shall pass a seal 14 through the alined slots to prevent unlawful changing of the inserts without detection.

, The drawing shows the device arranged for use in 1920 and at the end of such year, the proper authority will, upon receipt of a fee .for the next year, break the seal 14, turn the disk 7 until the insert bearing the numeral 1 is received in the opening 5 with its face flush with the face of the plate 1. Another seal is then inserted and the tag remains in this condition during the year 1921. At the end of each year a change in the date numbervis of course necessary;

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the platel displays the identification number 2, the territory 3 and a part 11 of the figures designating the year in which the tag may be used, the remainder of said figures being displayed by a preferably rectangular insert 6 stamped from sheet metal and received snugly in an opening 5 in the plate 1. Soft metal rivets 12! are provided to removably secure the insert 6 in place, said rivets passing through the late 1 and through a flange 9 with which t e insert is provided. In addition to this securing means, a seal 14 is provided to prevent unauthorized changing of the insert. At the end of each year, an authorized person removes the insert b chipping ofi the rivets 12 and breaking e seal 14, and then ap lies a new insert so that .the tag will disc ose numerals designating In Figs. 8 and 9,.a still further'type of the device is shown, in which the plate 1" displays only the identification number 2", said plate having a comparatively lar opening 5" filled by a flanged insert 6 w 'ch is secured in place in the same manner as the insert 6. The insert 6" carries a legend 3" designating the State or territory in which the tag may be used, a number 11" showing the current year and a letter 0 the like 4 to indicate the character of t e machine upon which the tag 'may be legitimately used. a As shown at 2, the insertfil prefer ably displays also a number corresponding to the number 2", so that only the inserts intended for one particular license tag may be used upon said tag without detection.

The form of the device last described operates in the same manner as those previously explained, that is, the insert is changed from year to year upon payment of the required amount.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by the use of -my invention, the entire identification tag need not be renewed from year to year, thus effecting a great saving in the metal or material used in the manufacture of said tags, this being a highly important consideration.

Since probably the best results can be ob- .tained from the details disclosed, they will preferably be. followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may well be made.

I claim:

1. An automobile identification ta comprising a plate displaying identi cation data, said plate having an opening, an insert in and filling said opening, the obverse side of said insert bein flush with the corresponding face of sai plate and displaying data showing the period of time during which the tag may be lawfully used, the reverse side of said insert having a flan secured removably against the reverse si e of said plate.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said insert and its flange being stamped from a single piece of sheet metal.

3. An automobile identification ta loomprising a late displaying identi cation data, said plate having an openin and an insert removably secured in sai o ning and having a face flush with the ace of said plate, said face .of the insert displaying data showing the period of time during which the tag may be lawfull used; together with means for sealing said plates and insert together, whereby to prevent undetection.

4. An automobile identification tag comprisinga late whose obverse face displays identification means, said plate having an opening, a plurality of inserts mounted on a common not on the reverse side of said plate, sai inserts being receivable one at a time in said opening and displaying different data relating to periods of time during which the tag may be lawfully used, and means for sealing any of said inserts to said late when inserted in said opening, wherey to prevent unlawful removal of one insert and insertion of another without detection.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4, spring means being provided to yieldably retain any insert in said 0 ning.

6. An automobile identi cation ta comprising a plate whose obverse face displays 1,340,9ee v a;

identification means, said plate having an opening, a disk centrally pivoted to the reverse side of said plate and radially split to form resilient radiating spokes and inserts on the outer ends thereof, said inserts beingreceivable one at a time in said opening and each displaying data relating to a difierent period of time during which the tag may be lawfully used, and means for sealing the disk and plate together to prevent nude 10 tected rotation of said disk by an unauthorized person.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES W; WILLIAMS; 

